USRE14422E - And one-half to anton e - Google Patents

Description

0. L. OLSON.u

CHECK now Pomo PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1917. Reissued Jan. 15, 1918.

0. L. OLSON.

CHECK ROW POTATG PLANTER. APPLlcATIow'flLEn Nov.19. 1911.

mism Jan.15,*191s. 14,422.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

75 l '73 r7| 8a UNITED ASTATES PATENT oFFIcE.

OSCAR L. OLSON, 0F ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO FRANK H. DOUT'HITT, OF CLINTON, IOWA, AND ONE-HALF T0 ANTON E. SODERLIND, OF

BBAHAM, MINNESOTA.

CHECK-ROW POTATO-PLANTEB.

Specicatlon ot Beissued Letters Patent. Reiggued Jan, 15, 1918,

Original No. 1,208,898, dated October 31, 1916, Serial No. 107,222, filed July 3, 1916. Application for reissue iiled November 19, 1917.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR L. OLSON, a citizen of the United States, resident of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check-Row Potato- Planters, of which the following is a. specilication.

This invention relates to wheel-supported machines for planting potatoes, and the main object is to provide a check rower potato planter which will plant (potatoes at desired distances apart in space rows without missing any hill and without planting more than one potato in each hill.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved potato lanter with one of its ground wheels remove and the ortion of the frame bounded by the line w- -c-d-e in Fig. 2 broken away; owing to limited space of the drawin some parts are imperfectly shown but wi be found more clearly shown in other views;

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of Fig. 1, with the hopper intersected on the line a-a in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partly sectional view of an enlarged portion of Fig. 1 about as on the line g-g in Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a cross section of the machine about as on the line f-f in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged partly sectional view, showing more clearly the clutch mechanism and its relation to the dropping tube and check rower fork; in this view the shaft 34 is intersected on the line g-g Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a top view of the portion of Fig. 5 above it with the gear 47 added;

Fig. 7 is a detail face view of one of the potato carrying arms and the hub and shaft carrying it.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, 1 designates the body or main frame of the machine, which is supported by a pair of side wheels 2 and provided with a draft pole 3 to which horses or other motive power ma be attached. Pivoted with its forward entf1 at 4 is a substantially central longitudinal bar 5, whose rear portion is connected by a link 6 to a rocker arm 7 of a short rockshaft 8, which is mounted on the frame and provided with a hand-lever 9 near the operserial No. 202,860.

ators seat 10. From said bar 5 depends a pair of furrow-opening disks l1, and rearward thereof a V-shaped furrow opener 12 (shown in Fig. 1) and still farther back a pair of furrow-closing disks 13. Said furrow opening and closing devices are lowered into the ground by movin the hand lever 9 into the notch 14 of a fixe sector 15, and by bringing the lever into the rear notch 16 of the sector the furrow-working devices are raised high enough above the ground to perpiuiltdthe machine to be driven idle over the Suspended from the main frame and extending also partly above the same, is a p0- tato dropping tube 17, having its lower end arranged in rear of the furrow opener 12 and provided wit-h a pivoted valve 18 operated by a rod 18a and a rocker arm 19, (see Fig. 5) the latter being fixed on a rock shaft 20 which is journaled across the frame and provided with two forks 21, one near each side of the machine, said forks being adapted for operation by a check line 22 having obstructions 23 engagin the fork at one side of the machine to t1 t it when the machine is driven kin one direction over a potato field, and to operate the other fork when the machine is driven in the reverse direction. The check line is supported on rollers 24 in posts 25, where it is kept by a cover (not shown) to prevent its accidental escape upward. Every time the forks 21 have been swung rearwardly by an obstruction on the check line, a spring 26 (see Fig. 2) restores them to normal position, thereby closin the valve 18 after a potato has been deposited in the furrow.

The potato-carrying mechanism consists of a hopper or magazine 27 having a segmental downward extension 28, into which the potatoes 29 are radually moved by their own weight. The ottom of said extension presents two parallel curved segmental grooves 30 (see Fig. 4) with an intermediate ridge 31. The rear endwall 32 of said extension is formed with two deep notches or slits 32, inward through which move four radial arms 33, which are fixed on a Shaft 34 rotated-in bearings 35. The arms 33 are arranged in pairs operating one pair in each notch 32 and swinging into similar notches 36 in the-dropping tube 17; each pair has y the arm by the neXt potato into which thev its ltvvo members eiitended in diametrically y opposite directions andlprovided ,with a sharp prong 37 by` which to impale and carry one" Potato ata time from the hopper eXtension'into the dropping tube. When the po.-A

tato is ina posltlon to be dropped into the tube 17 it is pushed off from 'the prong37 bygafi-stripper 'lever-.38, which ishpivoted to a lug 39 ofthe arm and has its inner and curved end' 40 so arrangedthatit asses into contact with a stud 41 fixed in ail at bracket 42,v secured on the dropping tube;` each side of the vbracket is provided with such a' stud,

vone stud serving to actuate each `pair of. stripping levers.

43 are 1` clearings in the arms 33 for the vcam-shaped parts 4() oflthe `stripping levers. "It is of course understood that `When* each 'stripping lever has stripped the potato from the prongit passesby'the stud 41 `and isfreejto'be depressed against `prong is forced.

" The arms 33 maybe fixed in `a hub vlike 33al 'in Fig.i7, andimay thenv be termed a spider 'fixed on a., spider shaft34. Said shaftis provided with a disk-like clutch member 44 "(bestknown'in ,Figs.,5, 6 and and hasv y one end formed `with a cavity in `whichis ljournaled the end 45 of an abuttingshort shaft`46, on which is fixed a `gear 47,1driven bya gear 48g`-` which is fixed on a countershaft 49 `having a'sprocket 50 `driven by a ychain :51 and a sprocket 52, the latter being fixed either to one: of theground wheels f2 or to the'aXleQathereofifthe latter is made rotatable in 'its bearings.

On the 'short shaft 46 iis' "fixed rratchet wheels?, k(bese*showninnige) which acts f having "a i not l kasa second clutch* member yb engaginoP a dog 54'pivoted zit-..55 tothey c itch mem er l44. Saidd provided with awtai1'56,`

c 57 in which engages la tooth i 58 offa ring 9,jwhichhas a slight rotary movement about` its center, it yhaving slots 60 loosely engaged by headed studs 61 ysecured in the member 44. Said'ring is providedv with four radial fingers'GQ. A spring '63 serves to-hold1 the ring normally in position shownsothat the dog "54 engagesv the ratchet wheel. f

` Journaled `in bearings is a yshort rock y shaftfhavingthree radial arms`67g68, 69.

"The arms 68:` receivemotion fromv the end y'of apn'shvpiece 70whichis pivoted 'at/71 to. a bar islidingin bearings 73 and havingv aspiring 74 raising the push piecey '70 into engagement with `andi allowing lit "to be retractedy below the arm 68.

"72 ris connected by a linkf75 to a rocker arm `76 on? the yfork shaft 9th-so* that eachtime vthe )fici-ks Q1 yare swung forward by1 the spring 26` fthefpush piece`i70` causes, the arm Said slide 67'tov swing beyondfthe ends of the fingers 62, whereuponthe spring 63 rotates the ring :59, and as the dog is thereby engaged in the ratchet Wheel the latter, which is constantly rotated' as longy 'as-the vmachine is in] motion, rotates the clutch member 44 and .thereby the spider 33 until one potatoy hasbeen carried intoqthe -dropping ytube17, when the .spider shaft is uncoupled by `the:following mechanism: Mounted in posts 77 is` alight rock shaft 7 8 having. a depending wing 794 ywith two slots 80 init A(see Fig. 4') land` at oneend ofth'efshaft is a rocker arm 81 conv n'ected by a linky rod 82 to the arm 69 on j shaft 66. (See Figs."5,` 1 land In Fig. e afwiu be seen therme shaft 7e is friction heldyagainst accidental rotation by having the upperpart ofone of itsbeary ingposts split *at 83 and lprovided with la clamping `screw"f84 yarranged to draw the plit portion against `the shaft with any desired tension. 'p f l n The operation yof'-thegmachine `is fas' followsrAssuming that thehills are to befthree feet apartl and that forward movement-of the machine will cause a'c'oi'nplete revoluvtiony of the potato pick-up device, then `it will be evident that `if there are four arms to this pick-up device there will fbe four chances that a `potato-Will be piekediiupffifor jdelivery to. the dropper tube between each hill. Through 1 the clutchk mechanism de,-

`scribed jthe'potato pick-up arms will continue tore'volve until apotatohas beenfgathered up `and engages the wings 79. There upon the shaft 7 8 r` will be rocked andv downward thrust will be imparted tothe rod "82 and the arm 67 will bev moved "from vthe fdotted line position shown Fig. :5- to the lfull line posit-"ion shown 'i111 v4the saine".l figure into the path of one off'the fingers-162cm check the revolution 'of the `,clutchmember 44. Atthis timethe parts willy be invthev vrposit-ion as shown in Fig. 5 iand lupon the engagementof the-arm 67 with-,thenger 62 the member' 44 will be rotatedaI distance equal. to the length ofthe vslots 60-vand the spring 63 will be put under tension and sufficienty movement of the dogw54 lwillwbe .per-

niitted to allow its disengagement 'from'.the ratchet wheel.v :one end of .the y:dog 54 being 'held byy engagement of the vrtooth 58 with the notched end 57 of saiddog. HThus the vclutch member will be releasedI andthe Y shaft 46v andi the ratchet "Wheel Will befree to revolve as the machine moves ahead,wvh=i-le the potato pick-up mechanism andfitsrdrivf ing.: connection :are temporarily` stationary.

This tripping of` the clutch `mechanism will only itakeiplace when a potatohas 'been gathered up` vand deposited` in `the dropper tube. The machine having reached the yhill,

the checker line wiillttripi-the member 21 @and :open` kthe valve in the' lower end `of the dropper `tube Athrough: the mechanism shown in Fig. 5.` Upon the disengagement ofthe checker line froml the fork 21 the spring 26 will restore the fork to its normal position and close the valve in the dropper tube and thrustv the bar 72 forward with sulficient force to trip the arm 67 through the engagement of the push piece with the arm 8. The spring 63 will then return the member 44 to its normal position, the dog 54 will again engage the ratchet wheel 53 to again start the revolution of the pick-up arms and repeat the above-described operation.

It will be noted from the foregoing that with the number of pick-up arms shown the chance of all of them missing the potatoes or failing to pick up one will be very slight. The pick-up device will continue to revolve until a potato is gathered up, the mechanism in the path of a potato carried by one of the arms releasing the clutch mechanism and temporarily stopping the revolution of the pick-up device. When the valve in the dropper tube is opened by the obstruction of the checker line, the potato will be discharged into the hill, the valve will immediately close and the release of the checker line from the fork will allow its actuating sprin to disengage the pick-up device checking means an|d allow its operating means to a ain become active and again revolve the pick-up device to resume the gathering up of the potatoes. The delivery of a potato to the dropper tube between every hill is thereby practically assured.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a potato planter, the combination with a pair of ground wheels, vof a frame carried thereby and having a draft pole, furrow openin means carried y the same, means for adjusting said furrow working devices into and upward above the ground, a potato dropping tube carried by the frame and having 1n its lower end a valve, a potato magazine having an upwardly open extension with slits in the walls nearest the dropping tube, a spider mounted to rotate near said slits and having arms swinging through the slits and provided each with a sharp prong by which to engage a potato and carry it into the dropping tube, means for automatically disengaging each potato from the arm into the tube, operative connection between said spider and one or both of the ground wheels to rotate the spider normally at a superfluous speed, a coupling device inserted in the operative connection, a trigger controlling the coupling mechanism and arranged to be operated by each potato passing to the dropping tube, so as to prevent more than one potato from being dropped at one time by the tube, a check rower mechanism arranged to operate the valve, a spring restoring the check rower means and furrow closingy mechanism to normal position after each potatois dropped, operative connection between said spring and the valve and the trigger to restore them automatically to normal position after each potato is dropped into the furrow.

2. In a potato planter, a dropping tube designed to drop one potato at a time into the grounda valve controlling the lower end of said tube, means for openin the valve automatically at certain pre etermined spaced points in the travel of the planter, a wheel carrying potatoes one by one from a supply toward the tube faster than the tube is supposed to drop them, means for driving said wheel, and automatic means for uncouplin it by each potato actually carried into tide tube, and automatic means for coupling the wheel again to its driving means as soon as the dropping tube is emptied.

3. In a potato planter, a dropper tube, a member mounted to deliver potatoes one by one thereto, an operating means for said member, mechanism actuated through the carrying of a otato by said member to said tube for chec ing temporarily the movement of said member, and means for releasing said member to resume its operation when the potato so delivered to said tube has been discharged.

4. In a potato planter, a potato delivering device and means for controlling the discharge of potatoes therefrom, a pick-up member mounted to deliver the potatoes one by one to said device, means for operating said member until a potato has been picked up, mechanism operated by the carrying of a potato to said device for tem orarily checking the movement of said mem er, and means for operating the controlling means of said delivering device to discharge the potato therein and simultaneously releasing said member to resume its potato pickup operation.

5. In a potato planter, a potato dropping tube and valve therefor, a. potato delivering member having pick-up arms for gathering the potatoes one by one for delivery to said tube, means for operating said member, means actuated through the gathering up of a potato for disengaging the operating mechanism of said member to temporarily stop it, a checker line and means actuated by said line for opening said valve and rengaging said operatin mechanism with said delivering member w en the potato has been dropped from said tube.

6. In a potato planter, a dropping tube, a device for delivering potatoes to said tube, said device being mounted to revolve and having a plurality of potato pickers, a clutch mechanism for controlling said device, mechanism actuated through the detatoes ;one by`one,lan operating means copies o! this patent` maybe obtained for livery `of a potatoto ySaidtuhe for.y releasing saidy c1utch'f-mechanism and checking the 'movement of said device temporarily, andr means fordischargng the potatoes one by one from said tube. n o n l 7. In a potato planter, a hopper, a revolvng .pick-up device having aplurality of arms operatingin saidhopper to .pick-up the or said device, means in the engaging saidy operating means 1 and tempath of a potato `gathered up byl oney offsald` arms for disvporarilychecking said; device" and means for rengaging said device with said operatin means when the potatohas :been discharge 15y the operation' ofy said device continuing until one of its arms picksup a'potato. v In witness. whereof,y I 'have hereunto set l my hand this 3d day ofL November,1911.'

s y, `l @SCAR L.10LS0N, "Witnessesr f f 'y `v CHASLD. MORELL,v

-` M. R. Os'rRoM.

iilvvevcents each,I 'addressing the Commissioner oi' `Patenti,

Wumnmnl?, C." a

Images